


What's in a Name?

by runningwithdinosaurs



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ficlet, First Dates, First Kiss, Getting Together, Humor, M/M, Misunderstandings, Stiles is a terrible listener, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-20 18:52:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3661242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runningwithdinosaurs/pseuds/runningwithdinosaurs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles’s new boyfriend Eric was pretty awesome, though he blushed every time Stiles called him by name. Quirky. SO HOT. But quirky.</p>
<p>(Or the one where Stiles accidentally calls Derek by a different name and Derek’s in too deep to turn back now.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's in a Name?

**Author's Note:**

> I got this adorable prompt on tumblr: "are you still accepting prompts? i saw this one on an au prompt list and thought of you: “we met through mutual friends and you call me a different name but I don’t have the heart to correct you” au. sterek, of course ;)" and couldn't resist. it felt like a good april fools fic. hope you enjoy!

Oh hey, it was Eric.

Stiles waved brightly and hurried over. Scott had introduced Stiles to the guy a week ago and they kept running into each other. Stiles didn’t mind because Eric was _hot_. Like burning hot. Like should-be-doused-with-water hot (for, you know, science). With stubble and muscles and eyes gradient like a green-blue star. Plus an adorable smile. And he always seemed pretty happy to see Stiles.

“Hi there!” Stiles beamed, holding a hand out to shake.

“Hello,” Eric smiled back and shook Stiles’s hand warmly. “It’s good to see you again, Stiles.”

“Likewise, Eric,” Stiles winked. Eric’s cheeks went an interesting shade of pink and Stiles internally fist-pumped: he still had it. Eric was always blushing or stammering around him. It was awesome, especially since Stiles had plans to do this:

“So, I was wondering if you might want to get coffee sometime?” Stiles asked, feeling braver than he ever had asking someone out, based solely on Eric’s adorable reactions to him.

“Oh, I’d, uhh, love to,” Eric stuttered.

“Awesome,” Stiles grinned. “Same time and place tomorrow?” He motioned to the Express-o Bean, the coffee shop Eric had been exiting when Stiles spotted him.

“Sure,” Eric nodded. “But, you should know…” he trailed off and, Stiles couldn’t believe it was possible, turned a darker shade of red. Even his beard had a red tinge to it.

“What?” Stiles encouraged, hoping it wasn’t awful news like _I’m not gay_ or _I have a boyfriend_.

“Nothing,” Eric sighed. “I look forward to our date. Wait,” he suddenly looked stricken. “It _is_ a date, right? Oh God…”

Stiles laughed and nudged him playfully. “Totally a date. See you tomorrow, Eric!” And he smacked a kiss on the older man’s cheek and hurried away, on cloud nine.

***

The date went great. Eric was his usual blushy, stammery self, but he opened up as the date went on, and by the time they were on their third cup of coffee each, he was telling stories and making Stiles laugh so hard caramel macchiato squirted from his nose. They agreed to get dinner over the weekend. When Stiles pressed another kiss to his cheek and murmured, “I look forward to it, Eric,” Eric just squeezed his eyes shut and Stiles barely stopped himself from chucking him under the chin.

They got dinner at a nice Italian restaurant and Eric kept opening up, more and more, though he’d still turn pink whenever Stiles called him by name. Stiles still thought it was cute.

Things got even more interesting after dinner when, after they were finished their frozen yogurt, Eric backed Stiles into a dark doorway on the street and kissed him senseless. So Eric was a really good kisser on top of being attractive and adorable and intelligent. This guy was totally gonna be the death of Stiles.

He broke the kiss and started to trail his lips down Stiles’s neck. There were few things that turned Stiles on more than hickies, so he moaned, “ _Eric_ ,” as soon as the other started to worry his skin between his teeth.

Eric pulled away like he’d been burned. “Uhh, sorry,” he seemed to have to force out. “Maybe...too fast?”

Stiles blinked. It had felt just right to him. But different people had different boundaries. “No problem. Wanna keep walking?” He held his hand out and wiggled his fingers. Eric smiled and took it.

***

So Stiles was pretty sure he and Eric were dating. And it was _awesome_. On their next date, mini-golfing, which Stiles _owned_ at, Eric had even allowed more making out, rewarding Stiles for each hole-in-one with a kiss. That eventually got a little PG-13. That may or may not have gotten them kicked out of the Beacon Hills Sports Fun Complex by the super uptight lady and her family who were playing behind them.

Whatever.

Stiles was pretty sure they were dating nevertheless. When Eric had dropped him off after (in his sweet-ass Camaro; they were never taking the Jeep anywhere again), he’d leaned over and kissed Stiles softly, murmuring, “See you soon, Stiles.”

That was totally dating.

Stiles had resolved himself to confirm they were boyfriends with Eric the next time they hung out. So he called Scott for moral support and other various sundry reasons.

“Hey, dude!” Scott’s staticky voice garbled from his cell phone. Scott’s cell reception had always been terrible, but was especially so after he switched to a super budget plan in college. He’d never bothered to change to a better plan after graduating.

“Bro,” Stiles greeted. “What’s happening?”

“I got more hours at the clinic!” He could feel Scott’s wide smile through the phone. “Deaton’s taking this retirement thing seriously!” Scott’s old boss at Beacon Hills’ only pet clinic had semi-retired when Scott had graduated vet school and was slowly letting Scott take over.

“That’s great, man. Just don’t work too hard.”

“Says the hypocritical deputy,” Scott retorted. So Stiles worked a lot. And took on a lot of other deputies’ shifts. If he was going to be elected sheriff when his dad retired, he had to work for it.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a terrible human being,” Stiles agreed. “I have news though, man.”

“Wh-” the signal cut out briefly, “...news?”

“Since I’m going to assume you just asked what my news is, lemme tell you. I have a boyfriend. Or,” Stiles amended, “I’m like super close to having one.”

“Awesome! Who?”

“Your friend, Eric.”

“What?” Scott sounded confused. “Repeat that.”

Stiles sighed and made sure to really enunciate this time, “The guy you introduced me to like two weeks ago? Your _friend, Eric_ ,”

There was a moment of silence and then Scott said, “That’s great, man. He’s a great guy. My family’s-” static rained down the line, “...ric for years now. He’s really cool. We should all hang soon.”

“Sounds good. But text me, OK?”

Scott laughed. “You know it’s fifty-fifty if my texts ever leave my phone, but sure, dude.”

Stiles snorted and hung up. He pulled his phone out and texted Eric: _told Scotty about us. hope that’s ok. wanna catch a movie later?_

The reply came back in less than a minute, which Stiles figured was a good sign: _Sure. I’ve been wanting to see the new Fast & Furious. That ok? Did Scott...say anything?_

Stiles squinted at his phone. _like what? no, I forbid it? he was totally cool with it. and sure, vin diesel is the MAN._

The next text took almost a full two minutes: _There’s a showing at the Forum at 7:45. Would that work? And I was just wondering. I’m glad he’s ok with us._

Stiles couldn’t resist. He knew he’d been planning to do it in person, but the opportunity was too good to pass up: _so there IS an us? please say yes :D :D_

That reply came a lot faster: _I was hoping there was, so...yes. There is an “us” if you want there to be._

Stiles rushed to type back, because being chill was overrated sometimes (plus, he’d never truly been chill a day in his life): _i totally want there to be. so...eric, wanna be my boyfriend? ;)_

And then there was no response for a full five minutes. Stiles was just nearing the point of no-return panic when his phone dinged: _Yes, Stiles, I’d love to be your boyfriend._

Stiles groaned and flopped back on his couch, heart pounding and relief flowing through his veins.

***

Eric was an awesome boyfriend. He let Stiles make out with him in the last row of the movie theater, though he drew the line at missing any of the car chases, which Stiles was one hundred percent on board with. He also bought Stiles a huge tub of butter-drenched popcorn and didn’t make the gagging noises Allison always did when Stiles shoveled handfuls into his mouth at a time.

They held hands like goobers on their walk back to Eric’s car. And then they made out some more. Stiles tried to let his hand drift a little lower than it had before, but Eric caught it and placed it back on his stomach, where it had been lying as Stiles braced himself over Eric in the backseat of the Camaro. Stiles didn’t let it bother him. They’d only been dating for two weeks and they’d only been _official_ for, like, half a day.

A week and two more dates (one to the local museum and the other a hike in the woods—both of which ended with heavy making out, all above-the-waist...not for lack of trying on Stiles’s part) later, Scott had asked them over to dinner at his and Allison’s apartment. And Eric was freaking out for some reason.

“It’ll be OK,” Stiles assured him from the driver’s seat. They’d taken the Jeep, because Eric had been too upset to drive. “They both know you. And I’m sure they like you, though probably not as much as I do,” he grinned, trying to bring a smile to Eric’s face. He succeeded, but only briefly.

“That’s true. You won’t have to introduce me, because they already know me. So, don’t bother introducing me.”

Stiles blinked. “I...won’t?”

“And don’t say my name too much. Uhh, I have it on good authority that Allison hates my name for some reason. Bad childhood memories of another...E-Eric. So don’t like, use it too much. Or at all.”

Stiles side-eyed him. He was sitting rigidly in the passenger seat, jaw tight and fists clenched. No one that pretty should look so worried.

“Hey,” Stiles reached over and took Eric’s clenched hand in his own. “It’s gonna be fine. I’ll be honest—I’m not super clear why you’re so worried, but I’m here and we’ll get through this. If you’re like this with my friends, imagine meeting my dad. You know, _the sheriff_ ,” Stiles added, trying to make a joke.

Eric just turned stricken eyes on him. Oops.

Stiles held his boyfriend’s hand faithfully until they pulled up in front of Scott and Allison’s apartment building. When he tried to pull away, Eric held his hand tight in a death grip. Stiles smiled. “It’s gonna be fine,” he repeated. “We’ll either succeed or go down together. C’mon,” he tugged his hand out of Eric’s grasp and hopped out of the Jeep.

Eric slowly followed, now clutching the bottle of wine they’d brought to his chest like a lifeline. Stiles pulled him close, arm around his shoulders, and kissed his cheek. “We’ll be fine.”

A little of the tension bled out of him, so Stiles considered it a win.

“Bro!” Scott crowed as he opened the door. “And hey, Derek.”

Stiles’s eyes went wide. “ _Scott_ ,” Stiles hissed. “What is _wrong_ with you? His name is _Eric_. Oh my _god_.” Eric had been right. It was going terribly already.

Next to him, Eric facepalmed. Like, he literally slapped his hand to his face and sighed.

Scott cocked his head to the side. “Umm, Stiles? I’ve known Derek since he babysat me. So, like, at least fifteen years? Maybe more. Point is, I _know_ his name. And it’s _Derek_.”

Stiles turned to look at Eric, who looked horrified. “Eric…” he trailed off.

Eric took a deep breath and shook his head. “Not Eric. Derek.”

Stiles gaped at him.

Allison, who had finally come up behind Scott, murmured, “Oh, Derek, _sweetie_.”

“So you honestly thought his name was Eric?” Scott asked, incredulous. “I thought it was just my crappy reception.”

“Yet another reason to get a new phone plan,” Allison sing-songed from behind him.

Stiles would have high-fived her, if not for the whole ‘his boyfriend actually had a different name’ revelation.

Scott turned back to Derek and asked, “How’d this happen?”

Eric... _Derek_ was bright red and looking at the ground. Allison huffed and said, “Can we at least go inside to have this awkward conversation?”

Stiles and Derek both nodded and followed her into the apartment. Scott brought up the rear, still looking puzzled.

Derek sat on one end of the couch and put his head in his hands. “Scott introduced us that day in the supermarket and I thought he was really cute,” Derek’s muffled voice said. “So when he recognized me the next day at the coffee shop, I was really happy. We talked and flirted and so...when he was leaving and called me Eric, I...didn’t have the heart to correct him.”

“But you’ve been dating for three weeks and you _still_ haven’t told him your actual name!?” Scott cried.

Derek drooped a little further into the couch. “I couldn’t find the right moment. And eventually, it had gone on for so long that...what was I _supposed_ to do?”

“I think at that point your only option was legally changing your name,” Allison pointed out. “I get what happened.”

“Me too,” Stiles said quietly.

Derek’s hands immediately dropped from his face and his slightly red eyes met Stiles’s. “You do?”

“Sure,” Stiles grinned. “I’m so hot and amazing that you forgot your own name. Totally understandable.” He winked, internally praying that Derek would take this as the easy out that it was. He knew eventually they’d have to broach why he didn’t speak up—was it pure embarrassment or something else?—but this could work for now.

Derek looked torn for a moment, but then he smirked, even if it was a little half-hearted. “Your superiority to all confounds me to this day.”

Stiles beamed. “You know it. Also,” he bumped their shoulders together. “I actually think Derek suits you _way_ better than Eric. I kept singing _Kiss the Girl_ in my head every time I said that name.”

“Sha la la,” Derek murmured and kissed him.

***

(That night, when Stiles grunted “ _Derek_ ” in his ear, Derek just helped him get his pants off and moaned “ _Stiles_ ” right back.

They name their first daughter Erica.) **  
**

**The End.**

**Author's Note:**

> the hardest part of this was typing "eric" instead of "derek," haha. also, I [tumble](http://runwiththisdinosaur.tumblr.com/).


End file.
